This is a continuation in part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 366,561 filed Apr. 8, 1982, now abandoned.
The present invention relates to a high energy neutron generator, more particularly applicable in neutron therapy.
It is known that the neutron generators used at present in neutron therapy comprise either a particle accelerator (tandem or proton linear cyclotron), which bombards a beryllium target with its particles (protons or deuterium nuclei called deuterons) of energy between 15 and 60 MeV, or a particle accelerator, which bombards a tritiated target of deuterons of 150 to 500 KeV, or which bombards a hydrogenatable metal target ("autotarget", this target being regeneratable) with a mixture of deuterons and tritium nuclei (called tritons) of 150 to 500 KeV, so as to produce neutrons of energy equal to 15 MeV, which are very effective in neutron therapy.
However, particularly due to the nature and thickness of the targets therein, such generators do not make it possible to obtain high energy neutron beams which are as intense and as little contaminated by neutrons of energy below 15 MeV as would be desirable.